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bluespiderweb
Akahai
USA
91 Posts |
 Posted - 03/30/2017 : 1:05:05 PM
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Hi good people, it's been a while since I played any slack key guitar, or any guitar for that matter, and can't remember much, so I'm more or less starting over with it.
On Moses's album Ho'okupu, he plays my favorite Slack Key guitar piece to date, and I've been fooling around trying to pick it out by ear to get the basics down. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfXzwVqjNnI
In a previous post here on the forum, a member said that it was in open G, tuned down to F (assuming he meant on the CD). Now, open G taropatch is D G D G B D low to high, so how do you get F from that? You might surmise that I am not knowledgeable in music theory, and you would be absolutely correct.
Can you explain this minor detail please to an old guy, just getting back into playing guitar by ear again?
Thank you for your help, and be well.
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Koaniani,
Ola, Barry
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 03/31/2017 : 02:09:36 AM
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Hey Barry
I have found that slackers from the mainland like to tune their guitars down to an F Taropatch for a bunch reasons. Some do it because they often accompany ukulele players who like to play in the key of F. By doing so they keep all their Taropatch inventory to use while they accompany in the key of F. Then when they want to play in the key of G they would just put a capo on the second fret. I myself just drop my top string to a C so that I'll be in Drop C then capo at the 5th fret to play in the key of F.
All you have to do to tune to F Taropatch is to drop all your strings one full step. So from bass to trebles, your strings will be tuned as follows C-F-C-F-A-C. Some people tune it this way because they like the deeper sound of the lower tuning or just because it fits their vocal range better.
Warmest Aloha
 Duke |
Hoof Hearted?...Was it you Stu Pedaso? |
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bluespiderweb
Akahai
USA
91 Posts |
Posted - 03/31/2017 : 05:26:36 AM
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Aloha Duke, and thank you for the great, helpful reply-yes, that makes sense to me. I will try it and see if it matches the CD next time I play.
Also nice to be back here, and see that people still do post! Mahalo Duke!
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Koaniani,
Ola, Barry
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1004 Posts |
Posted - 03/31/2017 : 07:35:13 AM
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For whatever reason, almost every acoustic guitar that I've ever owned liked Taropatch F (except a Rainsong). Maybe just my ear doing this. I've owned 7 Taylors and a couple of Goodalls and they all sounded better down one step. I play with Elixir PB Mediums, so maybe that has something to do with it. F also seems to sound better with short-scale rigs (grand concert - my current renditions).
BTW, always good to hear from Duke. |
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bluespiderweb
Akahai
USA
91 Posts |
Posted - 03/31/2017 : 12:33:21 PM
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Great stuff, guys-thank you! Yes, Terry (Chunky Monkey), that makes sense about your guitars sounding good in F with the medium strings you use-they no doubt enhance the lower tunings being heavier gauged. I imagine lights (I have never used them myself) would sound less enthusiastic tuned down a stop! And sure, type of string can influence the tone as well for sure. I am new to shorter scale guitars, but I do have one now in a nylon string flamenco guitar which might be instructive in how it sounds tuned down compared to the standard nylon string guitars, or like you say differs a recognizable amount in steel string guitars with different scale lengths.
Very interesting, anyway, and I'm looking forward to finding my own preferences again after not playing for quite a while. |
Koaniani,
Ola, Barry
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 04/02/2017 : 08:27:25 AM
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I just glanced, and tend to speed read, with low accuracy!
... but if not mentioned, I've seen alot of 12-string players, Slack and regular tuning people, go a step lower...and partially because of tension on a 12 string, both for saving the instrument a lot of tension...and also would be friendly to voices, ukes and fingers, as mentioned.
Also when you capo out of that, you easily get Bb, Eb etc.
I remember
One of Dennis Kamakahi's Dancing Cat versions of Wahini Ilikea was in F Taropatch. |
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neeej
`Olu`olu
USA
643 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2017 : 04:45:27 AM
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| In F Taropatch, drop your bass string to Bb and you're in Drop Bb...lovely!! |
--Jean S |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2017 : 08:10:30 AM
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Jeez Terry...7 Taylors, Goodalls, Rainsong...you're catching up to me. :-)
Long time no see... |
Dusty |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1573 Posts |
Posted - 04/04/2017 : 09:05:47 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by sirduke58
Hey Barry
I have found that slackers from the mainland like to tune their guitars down to an F Taropatch for a bunch reasons. Some do it because they often accompany ukulele players who like to play in the key of F. By doing so they keep all their Taropatch inventory to use while they accompany in the key of F. Then when they want to play in the key of G they would just put a capo on the second fret. I myself just drop my top string to a C so that I'll be in Drop C then capo at the 5th fret to play in the key of F.
All you have to do to tune to F Taropatch is to drop all your strings one full step. So from bass to trebles, your strings will be tuned as follows C-F-C-F-A-C. Some people tune it this way because they like the deeper sound of the lower tuning or just because it fits their vocal range better.
Warmest Aloha
Duke
As I recall, Uncle Ray Kane tuned his taropatch down, probably not exactly down to F though. When we saw his last slack key festival performance the guys playing with him tried tuning his guitar up to G, but Ray got it back to his preferred pitch just before they all went on stage. The result was not wonderful since all the other guys were still tuned to G.
Uncle Sonny Chillingworth also recorded in F taropatch occasionally, even down three half steps to E.
I prefer F taropatch over drop C capo 5 when I'm in a group with `ukulele because the capo 5 version puts the guitar up into uke range and I'd rather be holding down the bottom. But drop C capo 5 is definitely a handy tool when the guitar is in G and somebody wants to play F (I'm looking at you, `ukulele people (grin)).
Fran |
E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
Edited by - Fran Guidry on 04/04/2017 09:06:19 AM |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 04/05/2017 : 12:31:14 PM
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"In F Taropatch, drop your bass string to Bb and you're in Drop Bb..."
This is getting slack happy! I think my strings are getting Toulouse-Lautrec, I mean, "too loose to track."
The test will be when someone says, "Hey Buddy, can you give me an 'A'". Luckily I have perfect pitch, if I stand really close.
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dhergert
Aloha
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 04/10/2017 : 07:01:28 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by sirduke58
...
I have found that slackers from the mainland like to tune their guitars down to an F Taropatch for a bunch reasons.
...
Yes... I'm also using Taropatch C for mandolin: GG.CC.EE.GG
It works nicely, although I use heavier than normal mandolin strings for the two treble courses (EE.GG) to get better tone.
I do a lot of chord melody work, for which Taropatch C applies very well.
-- Don (on the mainland) |
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Eynowd
Lokahi
Australia
181 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2017 : 1:41:52 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by dhergert
I do a lot of chord melody work, for which Taropatch C applies very well.
-- Don (on the mainland)
A couple of months ago, I ordered a Cordoba Mini M guitalele, and I've got that tuned to Taropatch C (G-C-G-C-E-G). It's a wonderful little instrument that sounds fantastic. |
Geoff - g'day from Canberra, Australia. |
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Topic |
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Moses Kahumoku's Pohakuloa tuning
